The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority started building skywalks across the metropolis in 2007.
Not that many use them, but the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has to repair eight skywalks across the city including the one in Dahisar West that had been shut down two years ago. And it's going to cost over Rs 22 crore.
"The skywalks were made for commuters' convenience. And even if they are not in use, we have to repair them to ensure that no portion of the walkway collapses on the pedestrians and vehicles using the road below," a senior BMC official said.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority started building skywalks across the metropolis in 2007. It handed over the 24 skywalks it raised within Mumbai limits to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in 2015, after they had failed to draw pedestrians, and therefore advertisers.
Nilesh Jadhav, who resides in Dahisar, said, "Dahisar West skywalk has been shut for nearly two years since it was declared dilapidated. But we hardly used it even before that. We can easily cross the road, so why would we take the stairs?"
As per a civic proposal, the cost of revamping five skywalks between Dahisar and Goregaon would be almost Rs 16.62 crore, and for another three, in Sion, Wadala and Cotton Green, it would be approximately Rs 6 crore.
"What is the use of these skywalks? No one uses the one they built here in Bandra West. It is in the custody of anti-social elements. And there is no point in climbing two floors up on a narrow staircase. Even a lift wouldn't work here," said Vidya Vaidya, a resident of Bandra.
The civic body bears the cost of their upkeep — cleaning and electricity — which works out to about Rs 50,000 for one skywalk.
"We inspected 344 bridges including foot overbridges and skywalks. Forty-seven bridges need major repairs and 183 minor. We are going to repair skywalks along with them," a civic official said.
MMRDA had at first planned 56 skywalks to link railway stations to busy areas like markets and bus stops. But when the first few got a poor response, the authority ended up building only 36 — 24 of them in Mumbai city — at a cost of Rs 800 crore.
REPAIR BILL
- Rs 16.62 crore, for skywalks at Goregaon West, Kandivali East, Borivali West, Dahisar East, Dahisar West
- Rs 6 crore, for skywalks at Sion railway station, Wadala station and Cotton Green station
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